Ecstasy Untamed (Feral Warriors #6)(83)

A violent tremble went through her. "The shower." The words were a growl. "He bit me, impaled me in the shower so the blood would wash away. So no one would know."

His knees nearly gave way beneath him as the image blasted his mind. Sweet Faith enduring such torture in horrible silence. He'd known the bastard was hurting her. He'd known!

But Sweet Faith wasn't here anymore. Not now. The feral woman in the cage watched him, eyes once more blazing as she rattled the cage. "Let me go!"

Kkkeeeeer! His animal was furious, his rage melding with the man's. Hawke raked fingers into his hair, his teeth grinding as he fought to control the fury. He'd die before he ever let that madman near her again.

"Hawke." Kougar's hand landed on his shoulder, but he barely felt it.

Wisps of red haze began curling around the edges of his vision. He hated this. Hated that she struggled to return to the bastard who'd hurt her, caught in the grip of Mage magic. Daemon magic. And he, who loved her beyond measure, couldn't touch her, couldn't hold her because of the bars that separated them.

"Put me in there with her." His bird let out a cry of agreement.

Kougar watched him thoughtfully. "That's not a good idea, Hawke. If you shift into your bird, she could kill you. We have to believe Maxim's ordered her to do just that."

"Do it. My animal wants it. I want it."

"Hawke . . ."

He went feral, turning on his friend, holding back . . . barely . . . from clawing him. "Do it."

Again, Kougar studied him for several seconds before slowly stepping forward to unlock Faith's cell. Hawke followed. The moment Kougar unlocked the door, Faith lunged for the opening, but Hawke was ready for that. He met her, colliding with her as he pushed her back into the cell, away from the door that clanged shut behind him.

Fangs and claws drawn, she attacked him as any of his brothers would in a good feral wrestling match - slashing claws down his cheek, across his chest, ripping at the flesh of his shoulder with her fangs until blood splattered her face and hair, the drops of red turning her blue-tipped locks purple. She was a wild woman, untamed. Magnificent. The animal inside him welcomed the fight, urged him to join her in the wildness, to revel in it as he'd done in the days before the spirit trap had made battle of any kind a dangerous business. But this wasn't one of his Feral brothers looking for a fight. It was Faith. His sweet Smiley.

The man recoiled at the thought of hurting her. But the man was losing control, red haze growing at the edges of his vision. He pushed it back, suddenly afraid that he'd made a mistake in joining her in here. A growl ripped from his throat as the wildness overpowered him, and he turned on her. Aware, but in little control, he drew claws on her and ripped her clothes from her body, then tore off his own. The wildness screamed for a battle of a different kind.

Not like this! Not like this! His man's brain railed at what he feared he was about to do even as the last of his control slipped away.

Faith grunted as Hawke body-slammed her back against the wall. She slashed out with her claws, raking new furrows in his cheek to replace the ones that had already healed.

Blood. Hurt him.

No!

Thoughts tried to break through the thick fog that had become her mind. She was acting on instinct, fighting that instinct. Driven by forces not her own.

He threw her to the ground, though she barely felt the collision, then he stood over her, poised for one brilliant moment like a barbarian of old, his body sculpted with muscle, his shoulders broad, his c**k hard and thick, protruding like a weapon. His arms hung away from his body as if ready to attack, his chest rising and falling with quick breaths, his eyes burning with battle and lust.

Her body burst into flame in answer, damp heat pooling between her thighs. She wanted battle. This battle.

Her legs parted, offering him what they both wanted, and he fell on her, taking her in a single hard thrust that shot her straight into orgasm. Claws out, she raked at his back, and he roared and bit her shoulder with his fangs. Pain exploded, and she reveled in it as he drove into her, pounding her with his body, burying himself over and over.

Not enough.

She reached down and grabbed his bu**ocks, thrusting herself against him, driving him deeper.

Darkness, haze, pain, lust.

Ecstasy.

Over and over and over again, she came, the orgasms crashing over her, the violence that was driving her finding an outlet in this most ancient of battles.

She felt him shudder his release. From a distance, she felt him pull away.

No! More. More blood. More sex. More!

She sat up and struck out, but he caught her wrist in an iron grip. Then her other.

In her head, a bird began to cry out as if in pain. A soft female voice broke through the violent fog. He's breaking.

"What have I done?" Hawke knelt between her knees, holding her as she struggled, horror in his eyes as his gaze tore over her. "What have I done to you?"

The falcon cried out in her head, slicing away the fog, pulling her into the light. The violence that had consumed her lost its grip, and, slowly, Faith came back to herself. Taking deep, unsteady breaths, she found herself caught fast in Hawke's hold. She stared at the blood streaking his face, shoulder, and chest. My God, did I do this to him?

Through the bird's cries, knowledge flowed into her head. Hawke's damaged connection with his animal was shattering. They were going to lose him here, now, if she didn't pull him back.